Erectile dysfunciton, or impotence, is the common name that is attributed to the condition that affects a man’s ability to achieve or maintain an erection or to ejaculate. The causes can be manifold, of emotional and / or physical derivation. In addition, impotence does not have a negative effect only on sexual life but, as it is easy to understand, it can be a factor of stress, depression and low self-esteem.
The different types of impotence
There are three different categories of impotence:
- Generands: impossibility to generate children, caused either by the complete absence of sperm (azoosperima) or by an anomaly of them;
- Coeundi: physical impossibility to ejaculate but with a normal erectile ability;
- Erigendi: physical impossibility of the penis to perform an erection and, therefore, compared to the previous two, in this case the sexual act cannot be performed.
The causes of male impotence
First of all, erectile dysfunction can be a consequence of some diseases such as diabetes. This, in fact, is a disease that affects the body’s ability to use insulin and one of the side effects is damage to the nerves, closely related to the sensations perceived by the penis.
Furthermore, there are several neurological disorders that can cause ED, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, but also brain cancer and multiple sclerosis. Other conditions that determine impotence can be stroke and epilepsy of the temporal lobe. In addition, impotence can be the cause of prostate surgery or even a passion for cycling (due to repeated pressure on the buttocks and genitals, such as to compromise the function of the nerves). This form of erectile dysfunction, moreover, can be generated by taking certain drugs that influence blood flow, including chemotherapy, antidepressants, central nervous system stimulants (amphetamines, for example), diuretics and antihistamines.
Erectile deficit may also appear due to heart problems, to the difficulties of the heart to pump blood as it should, or to arteriosclerosis (because this pathology tends to occlude blood vessels). Finally, even an emotional disorder can cause erection problems, such as depression or anxiety (not just from performance); as well as the abuse of drugs (such as cocaine) or alcohol.
Why is it important to pinpoint the cause of ED? According to the specialists in oral treatments for ED from My Canadian Pharmacy, the doctor’s examination and diagnosing is the first step towards picking the right therapy. The service estimates the efficacy of their medications at 82%, which is aligned with the official reports of ED drug developers. On this website, only best quality drugs can be found, with the prices that allow using the medications long-term for better results, as it has been proven that Viagra, Cialis and Levitra have accumulative effects.
As a general rule, heart conditions and blood cell diseases are grounds to prohibit the use of the effective drugs like Viagra, not only because they pose health risks to this subcategory of patients, but also because these drugs cannot produce their therapeutic effect against the background of damaged blood vessels and other cardiovascular problems.
As noted, there are many possible causes of erectile dysfunction, many of which are organic, detectable through specific medical tests:
- Nighttime electrometry, to check for involuntary erections during sleep;
- Hormonal dosages, especially prolactin and testosterone which can affect erection;
- Eco-doppler penino, arteriography and cavernosography, useful for evaluating any vascular dysfunction;
- Sacral evoked potentials, to assess the integrity of the nerve pathways involved in erection;
- Papaverine test, i.e. the injection of this vasodilator substance of the penis, useful to evaluate its financing.
In the event that organic causes should emerge, the necessary recourse to the urologist or andrologist is obvious; if, on the other hand, the problem should be of a psychological nature, then psychotherapy is recommended.
Very often, treatments for diseases that can lead to erectile dysfunction are also a source of erection problems: for example, almost all hypertension drugs give more or less marked erectile problems, as well as certain psychotropic drugs. In addition, all the drugs which have an effect on testosterone, for example the treatments in the event of prostate cancer in particular, almost always give problems of erection.
Top oral drugs for Erectile Dysfunction
However, to manage ED, in relation to its cause, you can use either the use of ad hoc drugs (including a mention deserves the famous Viagra) or psychological advice or, in the most extreme situations, a surgery on blood vessels (it is not uncommon, in fact, the possibility that there is a ‘defective’ vein that allows the blood to drain too quickly from the penis). And there is also the possibility of relying on some natural or alternative remedies, such as acupuncture and drinking ginseng and pomegranate juice. Finally, erection problems can also be solved by improving one’s lifestyle, for example by smoking and drinking less alcohol, strengthening communication with one’s partner, reducing anxiety, exercising and following a healthy and balanced diet.
Oral drugs are by far the easiest, the most effective and the least invasive way to manage erectile deficit. Apart from Viagra (sildenafil) and its numerous generics that became available as of 2019, there are drugs from the same family – Cialis (tadalafil) and Levitra (vardenafil) with almost 20 years of history, as well as novelty drugs Stendra (avanafil) and Zydena (udenafil).
When there are medical erection problems, it is recommended to treat the cause first when possible, before using pills.
“For example, testosterone depletion can be treated with testosterone supplements, which usually results in correct erections,” according to Mayoclinic.org.
“On the other hand, for other pathologies such as diabetes, treating it does not necessarily work, because the erectile problem is already there. It is the same for arterial problems.”
When the treatments for the cause are not effective enough, the doctor may prescribe oral medical treatments such as Viagra and its four derivatives. “In second intention, one can prescribe vasodilators, a local treatment, which make it possible to dilate the blood vessels and to obtain an erection. As a last resort, one can make injections directly in the penis”, add the urologists.